Moses Lim dies aged 75, 'old friend' Jack Neo expresses regret

Local comedian-host Moses Lim died yesterday (Feb 11) at the age of 75.

His death was announced in a post on his Facebook page this morning.

"Moses Lim, who brought endless laughter and joy to generations of Singaporeans, has taken his final bow, leaving behind a legacy that sparkles as brightly as his unforgettable smile," the post reads.

He is survived by his wife Monica, two daughters and four granddaughters.

His last post was on Feb 10 of his luncheon with a few friends from the local hospitality industry, where they had Fujian cuisine.

Moses was well-known for his performance as Tan Ah Teck in local English sitcom Under One Roof, which aired from 1995 to 2003. He was also known for playing a Peranakan auntie in Jack Neo's variety show Comedy Nite in the 1990s.

Besides his work on TV, he was also a food critic and was the founder and manager of the Moses Lim Gourmet Club, which organised food tours.

Moses, who had a heart surgery in 2018, shared in an interview in 2023 that he had a health scare during a routine visit to the cardiologist when he was told that his pulse was slower than normal. He was advised to install a pacemaker as "it would be dangerous for him otherwise".

However, Moses said he was adamant not to do so. In a separate interview with 8World, he explained that he didn't want to go through a surgery at his advanced age, and his condition did not affect his everyday life.

He shared then that he was advised by the doctor to observe his health and dietary habits for six months, after which the cardiologist concluded that his pulse and heartbeat was stable and he did not need to install a pacemaker anymore.

He also told reporters then that he had no other health issues.

When contacted this morning, Jack told AsiaOne: "Moses and I had been old friends for many years, I feel regretful that he left us too early."

He also shared that the last time he contacted Moses was to invite him to the premiere of his recent Chinese New Year movie I Want To Be Boss, but Moses told him on the day that he had a bad flu and was unable to attend.

Jack, 65, added: "During Chinese New Year's Eve, he also sent me his well-wishes. I thought we would be able to meet after the festive season.

"We all have to face old age, illness and death. We can only hope to support and take care of each other while we are alive. What's most important is that we brought happiness to everyone."

In a Facebook post today, Jack reminisced about the times when he and Moses worked on Comedy Nite.

"I am thankful that you created Comedy Nite with me. From strangers who knew each other by chance to being my best partner, you are the most precious asset in my life," he wrote.

Jack also shared that they used to brainstorm performance ideas and rehearse together and some of their ideas were used for a long time. "We partnered in various big and small performances and immersed ourselves in laughter and applause. Your command of the English language is better than mine and we would always host in English and Mandarin — a perfect combination."

"You are my best partner. You were respectful of others and considerate towards them. You took care of each member of the JTeam and never gave anyone pressure."

The JTeam was famous in the 90s as a comedy group and comprised Jack's proteges Mark Lee, Henry Thia and Patricia Mok.

Jack also shared that because of Moses' health, they were not able to perform together except that one time in the 2016 variety series Happy Can Already! and also late last year, when they appeared on a video talk show on radio station 96.3FM.

He concluded his post with: "My brother, rest in peace. Your hair is not messy anymore. Thank you again!"

yeo.shuhui@asiaone.com

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